As a mother it is so easy to focus on what I do wrong.

I didn’t take the opportunity to teach one of the kids when I should have, I am not the best housekeeper, dinner isn’t always the greatest, my kids wear a dirty pair of pants because I didn’t get the laundry done, and I’ll admit it I have been known to lose my cool a time or two.  And that is the very short list.

When looking at the whole picture of life as a mom to 3 kids the responsibility of it all is very overwhelming and my ability to handle it all and do it “right” seems to be ever shrinking.

But tonight as I was tucking the kids into bed I was given a small “tender mercy” to remind me that I am doing something right.

I leaned in to kiss Natalie goodnight and got right close to her face and looked her in the eyes and said, “You know I love you, right?”

To which she replied with a giggle and a big smile, “Of course I do!”

This totally made my day. If despite all my pitfalls my children know without question that I love them then I can have peace that something is going right.

First of all, I missed a week – maybe even 2, in my challenge to blog once a week in 2o12. I’ll try to make that up this week by posting at least one other time.

But, on to the post. A few weeks ago we got to go up to the school to see Natalie be recognized in the Character Celebration for the month of February. At their school they have a guidance class which focuses on one character trait a month. At the end of the month each teacher is asked to nominate the student in their classroom who best exemplifies this quality and they are then recognized by the principal and their parents are invited to be there.

Natalie was nominated for the trait caring. Nothing could describe her better than this. She really is a caring soul. When her teacher is out sick she’ll ask to make a card for her, when either Anthony or I have headaches she makes us a card or even just sits and rubs our backs. On the playground at school she’s told us more than once how she’s found a friend crying and helps them find an adult to make them feel better. She definitely is concerned and cares about those around her.

 

We are so proud of her!